As Storm Approaches, AAA Offers Tips to Labor Day Travelers

As tropical storm Hermine moves along the East Coast and threatens to hit Ocean City, Labor Day travelers are faced with a difficult decision: Do I stay or do I go? Knowing the driving conditions and accommodation options at your destination is the key to making your decision, according to AAA

“Understanding driving conditions, the status of accommodations and cancellation options will enable travelers to make sound decisions on whether to maintain holiday weekend plans or to forgo them,” said Ragina Cooper Averella, public and government affairs manager for AAA Mid-Atlantic.

While many beach hotels and rental homes are booked solid for the Labor Day weekend, getting to them could be tricky and dangerous due to flooded roadways, downed power lines and debris, says AAA. Data from the Maryland Department of Transportation 511 system will allow travelers to see conditions, road closures, traffic levels, roadway incidents and more.

To check out the 511 system, click here.

“Maryland’s 511 is the state’s official travel information service, providing travelers with real-time traffic conditions for beach bound travelers and beyond,” Averella said.

The Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) also has helpful traffic information, utilizing animation from 2015 Labor Day weekend data to show when traffic is heaviest approaching the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and other busy roadways.

To see the latest data from BMC, click here.

“This information can be a useful tool in making the decision to stay home or move forward with holiday travel plans. Knowledge is everything in this situation and the information is readily available,” said Averella.

AAA also advises that delaying your departure based on the storm’s path and roadway conditions could be an option. This would allow water to recede and for hoteliers and property managers to once again prepare for guest arrivals.

“AAA strongly advises travelers to call hotel properties directly, rather than calling a reservation number to determine local conditions and your destination’s readiness to accept patrons,” Averella said.

Cancellation penalties or no-refund policies are additional factors to consider. Many hotels and other vendors require non-refundable deposits or full prepayment with a no refund policy.

“AAA recommends that travelers speak directly with their destination’s representatives to determine refund options AND advise them of any changes to arrival dates. If delaying a trip to allow the storm to pass, travelers want to be sure that their accommodations are ready for them and have not been re-sold to others,” Averella advised.

Travel insurance could also come into play. While most travel insurance does not cover weather incidents like tropical storm Hermine, knowing exactly what is covered is one more way to aid travelers approaching a stormy start to the holiday weekend.

Release: AAA Mid-Atlantic